Daria MMORPG : Between Two Worlds
by Kairan1979
Summary: Answer to Iron Chef : MMORPG, Lawndale style. Inspired by The Guild web series. When Our Heroine reluctantly steps into the world of role-playing games, it brings major changes to her life in Lawndale.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1.**

 **Hello and congratulations on choosing our new flagship project:**

 _ *** * * Realms of Altherra Version 5.1**_ **. * * ***

 **You'll be able to explore the captivating world of magic and mystery**

 **with minimum fuss and maximum entertainment.**

 **Buzzdome would like to thank you for choosing our product!**

Daria glared at the screen. _CHOOSING! As if I had a choice!_

It was Dad's fault that she ended in this situation. He expected that moving to Lawndale can solve his problems, but Morgendorffer Consulting was barely making ends meet; all the niches for consultant work were already taken. Desperation led Jake to accept Buzzdome's offer, only to realize he was over his head. When Noah Barkman asked Jake to test the new version of their MMORPG **Realms of Altherra** , Dad could no longer hide the ignorance of all things related to computers and Internet. He panicked and decided to solve the problem by delegating.

Daria didn't know what was worse - Dad ignoring her warning that she only played simple games like _Cannibal Fragfest_ before, or Mom convincing her to help by using the combination of bribery and emotional blackmail.

 _She was right though; I don't want Dad to have another heart attack, and only a decent paycheck from Buzzdome can stop his blood pressure from skyrocketing. The first one was bad enough; Hell, even QUINN was upset._

With the irritated sigh, Daria clicked the mouse button to start the game.

 **0000000**

 **Choose your Race / Random Choice.**

Daria opened _A Guide to the Races_ to see her options.

 _ **Dwarves**_ and _**Elves**_ **?** Thanks but no thanks. Fantasy worlds are overpopulated by them, and Daria hated to be a part of the crowd. She crossed out _**Orcs**_ and _**Drow**_ for much the same reason; the legions of 'Dark' kids were just as annoying as 'Noble' Elves.

 _ **Giants**_ were strong and tough, but slow and dumb. Not to mention that race was disliked by pretty much everybody.

 _ **Halflings**_? Daria wasn't going to play a midget with hairy legs and listen to the endless Lord of the Rings jokes.

As for the _**Humans**_ , they were poster boys for mediocrity with little or no special traits.

Daria discarded several more exotic races – _**Fairies**_ , because the only way to unlock their trademark ability to Fly was an oath of allegiance to Seelie Court or Unseelie Court; _ **Mermen,**_ who were somewhat interesting, but the huge penalties they've got every time they stepped on dry land made playing them almost impossible; _**Werewolves**_ _,_ who came with a lot of perks, and a full package of disadvantages, including the horrible reputation, the weakness to the silver and the forced transformations during the full moon.

It was a coin toss between _**Lizardmen**_ and _**Kobolds**_ , when Daria stumbled upon another new race… _**Half-Aliens**_. Daria checked the guide once again to confirm there's nothing wrong with her eyes.

As she found out, about two thousand years ago a colonist spaceship crashed in the middle of the Gray Mountains. Part of the crew survived, but lost the advanced technologies and was assimilated by the local tribes through marriages. Daria even checked the forums devoted to Realms of Altherra to find more about that race. As she learned, Half-Aliens weren't terribly popular. A lot of players had chosen them decided to erase their characters and start anew, because the materialistic legacy of Half-Aliens left them skeptical about magic, preventing from learning the art properly.

 _Well, if they missed what I noticed straight away, it's their loss._

 **0000000**

 _Race - Half-Alien_

 _RACIAL TRAITS_

 _Hollow Bones_

 _Logical Mind_

 _SKILLS_

 _Meditation (LOCKED)_

Once Daria read about the specifics of Half-Aliens, it was easy to understand the developers' logic. They wanted to separate Half-Aliens from the other Altherran races, so their Racial Traits were chosen deliberately to complicate playing by most of the Character classes. _ **Hollow Bones**_ made the character faster and more agile at the expense of his durability. _**Logical Mind**_ was perfect if you planned to study Mind Arts, but meant the penalties for the magic users and the priests.

Armed with that knowledge, it was easy to choose the ideal Character classes for Half-Alien – Psionicist and Monk. The Meditation skill at the beginning of the game, even if in the Locked state, was a giant red arrow that pointed at the Psionicist. As for the Monks, they couldn't wear heavy armor, relying on speed and agility. Hollow Bones gave them an edge. Monks, very conveniently, were the only 'religious' class that didn't have to choose the patron god, walking the Path of Enlightenment instead.

The choice between Monk and Psionicist was easy to make. _I'm not going to pass up the chance to mess with people's minds and make their brains explode. Becoming some kind of a Shaolin nun doesn't seem like a fair trade off._

The rest of character creation took less than thirty minutes. Half of the time was spent on the appearance - Daria took a photo of herself without glasses, downloaded it, elongated the auburn hair and made it darker without changing the haircut, altered the eye color several times and clicked 'SAVE'. She softly chuckled when the editor automatically gave her almond-shaped eyes and the pale white skin as a sign of Half-Alien heritage.

 _ **NAME – Darlene.**_

 _ **RACE – Half-Alien.**_

 _ **CLASS – Psionicist.**_

 _ **LEVEL – 1.**_

 _ **CURRENT EXP – 0. EXP NEEDED FOR THE NEXT LEVEL - 100.**_

 _ **LIFE POINTS – 40.**_

 _ **MAGIC POINTS – 10.**_

 _ **CHARACTER**_ _ **STATS**_

 _ **Strength – 3.**_

 _ **Dexterity – 4.**_

 _ **Perception – 5.**_

 _ **Intelligence – 9.**_

 _ **Wisdom – 5.**_

 _ **Endurance – 4.**_

 _ **STAT POINTS AVAILABLE - 0**_

 _ **RACIAL TRAITS**_

 _ **Hollow Bones**_

 _ **Logical Mind**_

 _ **SKILLS**_

 _ **Meditation (LOCKED)**_

 _ **SKILL POINTS AVAILABLE – 0.**_

 _ **SPELLS / SPECIAL ABILITIES**_

 _ **None.**_

 _ **ACHIEVEMENTS**_

 _ **None.**_

 **Begin Game?**

 **Yes**

 **No**

 **0000000**

Tom Sloane started to suspect that his soon-to-be-former best friends Fred Setti and Julian Haggerty were a part of Fielding's criminal underworld. That was the only explanation of his latest bout of stupidity.

Getting suckered into a bet was bad enough; then Tom had to open his big mouth and make the situation worse by upping the stakes. Not only he was forced to delete his Half-Elven Adventurer and start anew, he had to play for a year using the abomination created by Fred and Julian.

The perfectionist in Tom cringed every time he saw the stats of his new character.

 _ **NAME – Solano**_

 _ **RACE – Kobold.**_

 _ **CLASS – Knight.**_

 _ **LEVEL – 1.**_

 _ **CURRENT EXP – 0. EXP NEEDED FOR THE NEXT LEVEL - 100.**_

 _ **LIFE POINTS – 64.**_

 _ **MAGIC POINTS – 5.**_

 _ **CHARACTER**_ _ **STATS**_

 _ **Strength – 4 (-50% Bonus).**_

 _ **Dexterity – 7 (+100% Bonus).**_

 _ **Perception – 4.**_

 _ **Intelligence – 2.**_

 _ **Wisdom – 2.**_

 _ **Endurance – 6 (-50% Bonus).**_

 _ **STAT POINTS AVAILABLE - 0**_

 _ **RACIAL TRAITS**_

 _ **Armored Skin (+Level*5)**_

 _ **Night Vision**_

 _ **Resistance to Poisons 100/100**_

 _ **SKILLS**_

 _ **Unarmed Combat – 1/1000.**_

 _ **Short Blade – 1/1000.**_

 _ **SKILL POINTS AVAILABLE – 0.**_

 _ **SPELLS / SPECIAL ABILITIES**_

 _ **None.**_

 _ **ACHIEVEMENTS**_

 _ **None.**_

The race of Kobolds had Racial penalties in Strength and Endurance; as compensation, they had bonus in Dexterity and a thick hide that gave them natural armor. Throw in the immunity to poisons and the ability to see in the dark and you'll get the picture.

If he was a Thief or at least Ranger, he could find a way to work around his… disadvantages. Sadly, there wasn't much space for maneuvering if you choose the Knight; you'll be expected to stand tall and absorb a lot of damage, protecting the party. But as a Kobold, Tom's height didn't provide much of a cover, the good armor for his Race was almost impossible to find, and he was forbidden to use Tower Shield or Kite shield.

Usually Knight pledged himself to one of the Orders and moved up the ranks by fulfilling the assignments (another word for quests) from Grand Master. But Tom doubted he'll find the Order crazy enough to accept Kobold. Which meant that getting stronger by moving up the ranks was out of question, so was the chance of earning special weapons and armor forged in the Order's armory.

In desperation Tom checked if he can be advanced to Paladin. While it was possible for the ordinary Fighter, the Knight didn't have the same option. The manuals explained it as a conflict of the Oaths.

Another way to advance was joining a local tribe of Kobolds and proving his worth to their Chieftain. Once again, that path was out of question; Kobolds despised Knights. As a race of liars, thieves and backstabbers, they saw following a code as a sign of weakness and stupidity.

Tom couldn't help but admire the cunning and creativity his 'best friends'. They effectively neutralized both perks of his Class, while effectively closing all the ways of advancement for Solano.

Despite the setbacks, he was still determined to have the last laugh doing the impossible - turning Solano a character worth keeping.

 _At least I have a decent nickname. I wonder if 'Solano' is anagram for 'Sloane', or they named me after Chief Solano?_

 **0000000**

 **Darlene, welcome to Altherra!**

The introductory message transformed into a stylized map of the central continent (in Daria's opinion, it looked like an upside down version of Africa that had an encounter with a giant meteorite).

 **Please pick the starting location.**

 _ **Eternalis**_ _ **\- the village in the middle of Skull Island, created by the Priests of Wingham as a place of exile for heretics and unbelievers.**_

 _ **Drammarstadt**_ _ **\- former Dwarven outpost near the Ashhorn mountains. It was destroyed during Second Blood War and partially restored by refugees from Gardariki.**_

 _ **Wolke Hills**_ _ **\- the small town built after Wood Elves and Humans signed a Non-Aggression Pact. Wolke Hills is known for its mixed population.**_

It wasn't difficult to make a choice. Even for the money, Daria had nothing good to say about Theocracies; and Wood Elves were the most xenophobic of the Firstborn, almost as bad as the extinct Mountain Elves.

 _So Drammarstard it is. At least sounds like the town has a long history._

Daria didn't get her hopes high; she understood that her chances to find something worthwhile to report was slim; the generic Tutorial Villages were already searched with the fine-toothed comb by the hundreds of players.

 **Your Journey Begins Now!**

Darlene entered the game in a whirlpool of bright colors… and immediately stepped back to avoid the disfigured corpse staring at her with lifeless eyes.

 _What. The. Hell._

Darlene looked away from the dead body when she heard the footsteps.

"A newcomer? Hey, Hugo, that's the first one since…"

"Shut up, Orville!"

The voices belonged to a pair of spear-wielding Halflings in ridiculous-looking magenta-colored armor.

"Follow us, and don't make any sudden movements," Orville demanded with a face he probably thought was fierce, but Darlene thought he looked constipated.

"Orville, don't scare the lady!" Hugo bowed to Darlene, "Ma'am, you MUST see our Healer. It's mandatory; the Major himself said so."

"And you'd better listen, or else…"

"Shut up, Orville!"

More amused than annoyed by their constant bickering, Darlene allowed the Halflings to escort her to the First Aid Tent.

The middle-aged Fairy in the blue robes of Healer flew around Darlene's head three times, casting diagnostic spells.

"Don't let these two clowns confuse you," she said. Only the crow's feet around Fairy's hazel eyes gave away her true age. "There's a reason why medical check-up is mandatory for all the newcomers. It's important to find out if you are susceptible."

"Susceptible to what?"

 _ **You have been attacked by the Magical Plague.**_

 _ **Your body fends off the plague. Resistance to Magical Diseases 1/100**_

"And that's the answer I was looking for," The Healer allowed herself to smile in relief, "Your Alien blood is stronger than your human blood, and you'll be able to survive. That's not always the case, you know. A couple of Half-Elves died. I restored their health again and again until I was out of mana, but curing the Magical Plague is beyond my abilities."

 _I guess I'm luckier than Wells' Martians..._

Before Darlene could ask the Fairy about the plague, they were interrupted by the sound of the large war-horn.

"To arms! To arms!"

"Gnolls at the gates!"

 **Attention – Siege Mode On.**

 **You can't leave the game until the siege is over and all the enemies are dead.**

 _Dammit! Dammit, dammit, dammit!_

 **0000000**

The Gnolls started the assault without the preliminary bombardment; ignoring the hail of arrows from the squad of Elven archers and several Dwarven crossbowmen, they placed ladders up against the Drammarstard walls and started climbing.

The Healer jabbed her elbow into Darlene's side, "Don't stand here gaping at me! You can either help us or stay out of the way!"

 **Quest – help the people of Drammarstadt to withstand a siege.**

 **Reward – varied.**

 **Punishment – no.**

 **Accept – Y/N?**

Still stunned at the revelation that she can't leave, Darlene automatically accepted the quest and was immediately sent to help several Kobolds to drag the cauldron full of boiling water on the wall. It was immediately grabbed by the Half-Giant and poured down on the attackers. Darlene marveled at his strength; she could barely lift the heavy cauldron with the help of three Kobolds.

For a few minutes she helped the defenders with replenishing the equipment; sometimes with the cauldrons of boiling water, sometimes it was burning oil or heavy rocks, once she was asked to bring the spare quivers. But the canine humanoids ignored the gruesome deaths of their comrades; when one of them fell, another took his place.

 _ **You have been attacked by the Magical Plague.**_

 _ **Your body fends off the plague. Resistance to Magical Diseases 2/100**_

Darlene quickly got rid of the system message. _Not now, dammit!_

When the first Gnolls managed to climb up the wall, the Half-Giant who already stuck out like a sore thumb because of his height and the bright crimson sash wrapped twice around his waist was joined by two equally peculiar characters – the old toothless Lizardman and tall dark-skinned man in turban. First Gnoll was flattened by the heavy barbell in the Half-Giant's hands. The man in turban met the canine invaders with debilitating strikes to the limbs and chops to the neck. The old Lizardman was twirling the staff; he was surprisingly fast and agile for his age.

Darlene and her 'crew' were reassigned to take care of the wounded soldiers and drag them to the Healer's tent. She was relieved nobody asked her to get in the way of the real warriors with her non-existent fighting skills.

 **Attention! The enemy army is inside the city!**

Darlene turned around and saw very tall Gnoll who managed to get past the defenders; with his hyena-like features distorted by rage he looked like a rabid dog. Gnoll's beady black eyes locked on Darlene and her 'crew' and he let out a horrible yell.

 _ **Demoralizing Scream! You were paralyzed!**_

The Kobolds decided that discretion is the best part of valor and deserted the motionless Darlene.

 _Note to self – don't trust Kobolds._

Darlene shrugged off her paralysis just in time to avoid the horizontal slash of the Gnoll's axe. Her own dagger barely made a scratch on the fur-covered torso.

She had no illusions about the winner of their duel. Darlene's attacks were like mosquito bites, annoying but almost harmless; while Darlene did her best to dodge, using her increased Dexterity to maximum, two of the Gnoll's glancing blows almost killed her.

But running away was out of question. Her last assignment was _'Protect the wounded in the medical tent until the help arrives'_ and the penalty for the failure was bad enough to erase the character.

When Darlene missed another blow and was down to 1 LP, she abandoned the attempts to prolong the fight and prepared herself for the final desperate charge.

 **0000000**

The Gnoll warrior, already used to Darlene's evasive fighting, wasn't ready for the girl throwing herself at his feet and thrusting the knife upwards with all the force she could muster.

 _ **Critical Hit!**_

The Gnoll slumped lifelessly to the ground.

 _ **You have earned 20 Exp.**_

 _ **You have unlocked a new Skill - Short Blade (1/1000).**_

Darlene didn't have time to pat herself on the back. She heard a growl of fury; apparently, another Gnoll warrior saw what happened and wanted to avenge his fallen clansman.

 _No way is this trick with groin attack going to work twice._

Gnoll's charge was stopped by the spinning axe kick.

Darlene blinked as the familiar dark-skinned man appeared beside her and offered his hand to help her up. Then he turned to the dazed Gnoll and let loose a barrage of punches and kicks. Gnoll's wide swings were easily avoided. Finally, the canine warrior received a brutal blow to the head and fell dead.

The man in turban looked at Darlene, still stunned by the unexpected help, "You are wounded; let's see what I can do."

 _ **Singh the Invincible uses Chakra Healing to restore your health (40/40)**_

Singh waved away Darlene's thanks with a smile.

"Just keep the Gnolls out of the First Aid Tent, this will be enough. I'll deal with the breach in our defences."

' _Keep the Gnolls out'; he makes it sound so easy. I barely dealt with one of them, dammit!_

Darlene's hopes that more experienced fighters will leave all the fun to themselves were dashed to smithereens very soon. She saw the dynamic duo, Hugo and Orville, pushed back by the Gnoll armed with mace and the wooden shield. The newest Gnoll looked smaller and weaker than the ones Darlene already faced and yet the spears of Halflings barely held him back.

Quickly coming up with a plan, Darlene hid under the overturned vegetable cart; for once she was thankful for her small stature. As soon as the Gnoll's legs were within the striking distance, she viciously stabbed his foot. His yelp was worthy of Wild E. Coyote. Two Halflings, as dim as they were, didn't miss the chance to stab the distracted enemy, leaving him with just enough Life Points for Darlene's next attack to be the last.

 _Too much work for the measly 10 EXP._

She climbed out from under the cart, tuning out the shouts of grateful praise from Tweedledum and Tweedledee.

 **Attention – Siege Mode Off.**

The Fairy poked her head out of the tent, "Stop yelling you two morons…!" Her eyes widened when she saw Darlene, "Wait, you are still here..? Well, congratulations on surviving your first brush with death."

Darlene suspected the Healer wanted to say something else but clammed up at the last moment. Before she could try and figure out what's going on, a system message erupted in front of her.

 _ **You have been attacked by the Magical Plague.**_

 _ **Your body fends off the plague. Resistance to Magical Diseases 3/100**_

No longer concerned about the Healer's bizarre reaction on her survival, Darlene's only thought was, _That's it, I'm out of here!_

 **Quit Game?**

 **Yes.**

 **No.**

 **0000000**

The innkeeper said, "That'll be one silver piece please."

With a sigh Darlene took a coin out of her purse and tossed in on the counter.

 _If I didn't stay here I could be already in the office of Buzzdome, demanding explanations._

When Darlene tried to quit the game, she was stopped by the game message with recommendation to find a safe place to stay before leaving. Normally she could ignore the advice and leave anyway. But surviving the Gnoll attack by the skin of your teeth gives you an entirely different perspective on things. She wasn't willing to get killed and lose her meager belongings because of the carelessness.

Darlene quickly scavenged the corpses of the fallen Gnolls. Her trophies were nothing to brag about – a crude wooden shield, two torches, a tinderbox and a handful of coins. But it was enough to rent a room in the local inn without making a dent in her wallet.

The innkeeper returned with a big bronze key held with a chain.

"Room number nine. I hope your stay in our hotel will make your stay in Drammarstadt even more enjoyable…" After Darlene's incredulous look he left the last sentence dangling in mid-air and laughed nervously, "Sorry, force of habit."

 _Looks like somebody was practicing in front of mirror too much._

Darlene brushed off the innkeeper's inane apologies and was climbing the stairs to have a look at her new room when the door to the inn creaked open, letting in the important-looking Dwarf wearing a red doublet and a golden chain with a medallion around his neck. The old innkeeper bowed to him.

"Good evening, Major Wayland. What brings you to my humble establishment?"

The dwarf dismissed him, "No need to be so formal, Bill. My position is only temporary."

"Sir, I lived in Drammarstadt since it was rebuilt." Darlene blinked in surprise. _Just how old is the innkeeper?_ "I'm speaking from experience; you are the best Major we ever had."

The Major replied ruefully that he had no choice in the matter, and he'd rather spend his time in the smithy. The innkeeper nodded his head but made no response.

"Bill, where's your new guest? I must talk to her; it's very important."

 _And so it begins_ , she thought with a sudden sense of impending doom. _I didn't escape in time and now Altherra is trying to sink its claws into me._

Of course the Major could be after somebody else, but Darlene was willing to bet it's not the case.

 **0000000**

Darlene's worries were completely unfounded. The Major of Drammarstadt wasn't going to offer her a world-changing quest. It was merely a business proposition.

Wayland revealed that he was one of the town's blacksmiths before he was forced to fill the position of the Major. Unfortunately, all the other blacksmiths in Drammarstadt were killed by the Plague.

"I try to repair as much as I can in the time free from Major's duties, but that's not enough. So we need all the replacements we can get. Even the shoddy craftsmanship of Gnolls," the jagged scar on the Dwarf's cheek twitched in irritation.

 _ **Quest – sell the trophy weapons and armor from the Gnolls to Major Wayland.**_

 _ **Reward – 5 EXP per item.**_

 _ **Penalties – none.**_

 _ **Accept – Y/N?**_

Darlene easily agreed to part with the wooden shield; it was useless for her anyway.

 _ **\+ 5 EXP (95/100)**_

 _Wow, I'm five EXP away from a new Level. And I didn't even notice._

"Major Wayland? Where have you been? I've looked for you everywhere."

The Dwarf groaned after seeing a tall Elf in black chain armor entering the inn.

"That's Razorfin, the captain of the town guard. I swear he must have magical means to track me. Every time I try to shake him off he just finds me again."

The Elf approached their table and bowed to the Dwarf, "Major Wayland, we have problems with the ballista on the northern wall. Something is wrong with mechanism; they asked if you can spare some time to have a look."

The Dwarf emptied a mug of grog in a single gulp.

"See what I mean? The Major's job never ends," the Dwarf shot the newcomer a look of contempt, "It's my cue to leave," The Major kissed Darlene's knuckles and said, "Once again, let me welcome you to Drammarstadt. I wish it was under different circumstances."

"You and me both."

After Wayland left the inn Darlene expected the Elf to do the same. Instead he took the Major's place in front of the girl and ordered a glass of red wine.

"You don't mind if I ask you a question or two?"

"Sure, why not?"

"I've seen you during the attack. It's your first battle, isn't it?" Darlene nodded, "You noticed something unusual, something that doesn't make sense for you?"

It was a thick question.

"I expected worse," _I didn't notice it until he asked, but the hindsight is truly 20/20_ , "I don't think we saw their strongest warriors."

Razorfin smiled, "I can only applaud your intuition. Their Chieftain fell out of favor with Prophet; his soldiers are too young and inexperienced, or serving a punishment for some misdemeanor. That's the only explanation why we are still here. If we faced the Prophet's elite warriors…"

"I understand," she had a good imagination, thank you very much.

 _Remember, to volunteer is to say "use me"._

Ignoring the warning bells chiming in her head, Darlene steeled herself and asked, "Is there anything I can do to help?"

 **0000000**

 _ **(From the Entertainment column of the Lawndale Sun-Herald)**_

 _Hello to all my readers. Today I managed to get a short interview with one of the people responsible for the well-known multiplayer role-playing game_ _ **Realms of Altherra**_ _. His real name is kept secret for safety reasons, so I'll call him Ernst Gruber, after the character he used as a beta-tester of the game._

 _SH: "Tell me, what was behind Buzzdome's decision to branch out and create a new role-playing game?"_

 _EG: "Some of us felt that the genre of MMORPG is suffering from a chronic case of stagnation. The exploring of the dungeons, gathering the artefacts and building up your character is getting old very fast. If your crowning achievement is being the first to kill the unique monster or getting The Flaming Sword of Fire, the game isn't worth your money."_

 _SH: "And what's the difference between the games you've mentioned and the Realms of Altherra?"_

 _EG: "We wanted to give ALL the players a chance. You don't have to be uber-strong Barbarian with level 100+ to make a difference. It wasn't an easy feat, but we managed."_

 _SH: "Can you give a specific example?"_

 _EG: "Sorry, I can't. Once you start playing, you'll understand."_

 _SH: "What else you can tell us about the new version of Altherra?"_

 _EG: "Your actions have consequences."_

 _SH: "I'm sorry?"_

 _EG: "Some of the people start playing MMORPG because they feel they can do whatever they want. In Altherra the players learn the hard way that their actions have consequences. The failure of Warlock's summoning ritual not only kills you, but can result in a demonic invasion. Unrepentant Player Killers get a hefty price on their heads. If the village is destroyed with the area effect spell like Meteor Strike, it's a question of time before the burnt ruins will be occupied by monsters or undead. Somebody wants to change players the way he changes clothes? Be prepared for the new players to be weakened by the Bad Karma."_

 _SH: "Speaking of consequences. Where did the Gamer heresy come from?"_

 _EG: "It's our countermeasure against the irresponsible players who spoil the game process for the others by not treating Altherra seriously. We don't want ancient Elves using slang or the proud Dwarven warriors talking like characters from teen sitcom. If you decided to enter Altherra, have the decency to be in character. Or you can ignore our warning and find yourself in the world of trouble. The choice is yours."_

 _SH: "Aren't you afraid to lose players because of the increased difficulty level?"_

 _EG: "We compensate for it by offering more opportunities to our players. In the Realms of Altherra you can affect the trade balance and influence the local politics. You can change the outcomes of the wars. You can overthrow a king and start a new dynasty. You can declare a crusade in the name of your patron God._

 _In summary, if you are tired of the endless dungeons and sword measuring contests, if you want to make a difference, the Realms of Altherra is what you need."_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2.**

"…And don't come back, you plaguesome brat!"

Solano kept himself from wincing as the old baker's tirade ended abruptly and the door slammed shut.

 _For a short portly Gnome the he has got quite a set of lungs on him._

When he was choosing the starting location he wanted to be as far from Julian and Fred Setti as it's possible. He wasn't sure he could face them right now without adding Player Killer to his resume. Xelod, the old secluded town in the middle of nowhere, seemed like a good choice at the time.

The townsfolk's reaction upon seeing him varied from the forced politeness to the outright hostility. The quests on the bulletin board were crossed off as 'completed' and the Major didn't bother to add new ones. The shopkeepers overcharged him; the innkeeper refused to rent him a room. When Solano tried to visit the smithy and repair the damaged weapons, he saw the sign 'closed until further notice.'

 _I knew about Kobolds' lack of popularity but hearing about it isn't the same as seeing it for yourself._

 _ **Quest Update : The Debt Collector.**_

 _ **Find Mulgrave and tell him what happened.**_

Solano picked up the crumpled piece of paper that used to be a message and returned to the outskirts of Xelod. He found Mulgrave's house and knocked at the door.

Mulgrave was Solano's sole source of quests and the only reason the Kobold didn't leave Xelod yet. The former mercenary was an exception to the rules. A foreigner and a sellsword, he was never completely accepted in Xelod, so he treaded a fellow outcast with a modicum of sympathy.

"The midget doesn't want to pay the debt? He has problems with my messenger?" Mulgrave always saw the traditional greetings as a waste of valuable time. "Let me grab my coat; I think it's time to pay a visit to the little weasel."

After a short walk back to the bakery Solano witnessed the brilliant display of intimidation skills. Mulgrave never made outright threats, just citing the laws of the country, but the baker was pale and shaking like a leaf when the mercenary stopped talking. The Gnome eagerly added ten percent to the sum of the debt, just to get rid of his visitors.

"Not bad for a day's work," Mulgrave chuckled while counting his money. "The midget is afraid of me, but I knew he'll do something stupid if I send you."

 _ **Quest Complete : The Debt Collector**_

 _ **Reward -**_

 _ **5 silver coins**_

 _ **\+ 10 EXP (100/100)**_

 _ **You have reached Level 2! Stat Points to distribute - 5.**_

Solano knew he should be glad he finally reached a new Level. But after the first few assignments from Mulgrave he started having doubts that his employer is "just a simple mercenary". He seemed too shrewd, cunning and knowledgeable. Not to mention his ability to intimidate.

 _Of course, the only NPC willing to hire me turns to be a shady character. What else is new?_

 _I bet the other new players don't find themselves in the situations as desperate as mine._

 **0000000**

After Razorfin's departure Darlene was torn between anger and embarrassment. She doubted the new players often find themselves in such a predicament.

 _I wonder if I managed to offend some Altherran deity._

Razorfin wasn't rude or condescending, just matter of fact. But the polite dismissal from NPC still hurt her pride.

" _I appreciate the offer but there isn't much you can do to help,"_ he said bluntly. _"Drammarstadt needs more Healers – Madame Brianna and her assistants are stretched too thin. We need more builders to repair the city walls. A blacksmith can be a godsend. By the Crown of Stars, if we were joined by a seasoned warrior, I'd welcome him with open arms. But with your lack of strength and experience you'll be more hindrance than help. You barely fended off two weak Gnolls and were almost killed by the third one. If I could, I'd rather send you away from the town, but the only secret passage collapsed during the Second Blood War."_

The fluttering of the semi-transparent wings announced the arrival of the familiar Fairy. She flew through the open window on the second floor of the inn, not bothering to use the front door.

"You look a little lost, my dear… is everything all right?"

 _That depends on your definition of the word "all right."_

"Honey, whatever put you in this funk is going to keep gnawing at your brain unless you talk about it. If you are worried about privacy…" Brianna waved her tiny hand in the air and casted short spell, surrounding their table by the glowing dome.

 _ **Brianna the Healer activates the Cone of Silence.**_

Darlene tried to avoid the interrogation but the Fairy had a tenacity of a bulldog and the girl ended up telling her everything.

The Healer pursed her lips and tsked, "Ignore his grumblings, sweetie. He can't forbid you to fight. Razorfin needs every warm body he can throw at the Gnolls.

You may be inexperienced, but you certainly weren't a hindrance."

"Then what's his problem with me?"

"You came through the stone ring. I'm sorry to say but _your kind_ tends to escape if the things get tough. I admit I had my worries at first… but I've seen you fighting. I don't care what the Elf thinks; you won't abandon us."

Suddenly, Darlene had an epiphany, she finally understood everything. The reasons why she had yet to meet another player; the strange looks Fairy Healer gave her during the check-up.

 _Does it mean all the players erased their characters? N_ _obody was a sense of adventure to stay and fight for Drammarstadt?_

 _ **You have been attacked by the Magical Plague.**_

 _ **Your body fends off the plague. Resistance to Magical Diseases 6/100**_

 _Maybe they were Humans and got fed up being killed by the plague again and again?_

Darlene could say with certainty that the creators of Altherra weren't exaggerating; from the moment she started playing, the young Half-Alien was presented with one mystery after another.

 **0000000**

The Fairy turned out to be a fount of knowledge about the town's recent history.

The Gnolls always occupied the hills to the north of Drammarstadt, but they never were a serious threat because the tribes constantly fought each other, and the occasional raids were swiftly dealt with by the town guard. The situation quickly changed after some self-proclaimed Prophet managed to unite the feuding Gnoll tribes and turn them into a bloodthirsty, warlike Horde. Drammarstadt wasn't the first settlement that caught the Horde's attention; they were the only ones who could withstand the initial assault. When the Prophet and his army marched further to the south, one of his Chieftains was left behind to deal with the defiant town.

"Why didn't you ask for help?"

Brianna answered in a tired voice, "We tried. The Prophet intercepted all the messengers and catapulted their heads through the wall. We assumed he was just sending us a gruesome message, taunting us that we are on our own," she lowered her head, "It was a grave mistake; the heads were used as the carriers for the magical Plague."

The Plague targeted only Humans but it was enough to kill two thirds of the town's population. The old Major was dead, the town council was pretty much beheaded and the losses in the garrison were devastating.

Darlene suddenly remembered a little detail she had read about when she was choosing her Character class.

"What about the Priests? Shouldn't they do something to stop the Plague?"

"Our Priests planned to perform the Ritual of Cleansing on the night of full moon; if they succeeded we could at least bury our dead without contaminating the ground. Unfortunately, the Prophet anticipated this move. When the Priests were distracted by the preparations to the ritual, he launched a surprise attack. The infiltrators were killed but not before murdering all our clergy."

 _Bad news: Drammarstadt is a fantasy version of Alamo. Why couldn't I get a boring tutorial village with the biggest problem is the lack of money to buy basic supplies?_

Seeing that the Healer was tired of talking about the past, Darlene asked if she can do something to change Razorfin's mind about her usefulness.

"The Elf respects strength. Show him that you can become stronger without pestering his warriors for training."

 _ **Quest – reach Level 5 without help from the Drammarstadt army.**_

 _ **Reward - unspecified.**_

 _ **Punishment - no.**_

After Darlene accepted the quest, Brianna added conspiratorially, "And don't bother checking the bulletin board. It wasn't updated since the beginning of the siege. If I were you I would visit the Old Cemetery."

 _Now we're getting somewhere._

 **0000000**

Darlene wasn't sure what to expect as she approached the wrought-iron gates of the Old Cemetery. Was it going to be infested with zombies? Or she was supposed to find a passage to a secret dungeon in one of the old crypts?

"Welcome, welcome… It's not often we receive visitors here," The Undertaker said in a raspy voice before opening the gate to let her in.

Brianna was reluctant to talk about The Undertaker, and warned Darlene that it's going to take some time to get used to him. After meeting the man in question, she could confirm the Healer wasn't overstating things. The Undertaker was the most intimidating person she has ever met since entering Altherra. Nine foot man in black suit and top hat looked like a long lost cousin of Lurch from Addams Family. The image was completed by the shovel he used to support himself. With the handle made from blue steel and the sharp broad blade covered with suspicious brown spots, it looked more like a weapon than the digging tool.

Darlene shivered at his penetrating gaze, absently noting that the graveyard had seen better days.

 _ **You have been attacked by the Magical Plague.**_

 _ **Your body fends off the plague. Resistance to Magical Diseases 9/100**_

"Ah, another unfortunate victim of the Plague," The Undertaker said sagely. "You know, that's the second outbreak of Plague I had the misfortune to witness. The last one was thirty years ago. Thirty-two years ago, to be precise."

"Which one is worse?"

"It's good question. The dead don't rise from the graves as they did thirty years ago. On the other hand, the corpses are piling up and I'm not allowed to give them a proper sendoff."

Apparently the Priests warned the townsfolk that the victims of the Plague couldn't be properly buried before the town is Cleansed or the soil of Drammartstadt will be contaminated forever. That explained why The Undertaker allowed the Old Cemetery to fall into disrepair; he was too busy taking care of the corpses.

Darlene asked with worry, "Can the Gnolls do something to the Plague victims? Turn them into zombies?"

"It's impossible to do Necromantic rituals if you are outside the city walls. And if dogheads will get past the defenders, a few zombies will be the least of our problems."

 _Aren't you supposed to start talking why you are here?_

Darlene explained her problems with Razorfin and mentioned Brianna's vague hints about the Old Cemetery. The Undertaker listened to her without emotion. Then he said, "I may be of help. But first, I must ask you to earn it by way of performing service for me."

She immediately replied, "Tell me what to do."

"Are you sure? Aren't you afraid of my... _clients_?"

"If they are truly dead, no."

The Undertaker smiled frighteningly, "I think we can work together."

 _ **Quest – restore the Old Cemetery to its former glory.**_

 _ **Reward – unspecified.**_

 **0000000**

It was a vicious and exhausting battle, but in the end Darlene triumphed over the combined forces of Dust, Grime, and Cobwebs. The girl's hard work didn't go unnoticed by the system; her _**Strength**_ and _**Endurance**_ were increasedby one point _._

 _Now it's the time to find out if The Undertaker is willing to fulfill his part of a bargain._

Darlene had found the tall man in one of the unused crypts. The corpse of the old was lying on the stone slab in front of him. The Undertaker was pouring the black viscous fluid in the corpses' mouth through the funnel.

"The recipe of Rattler's Balsaming Fluid cost me two of my best coffins. It's not cheap, but I had yet to find a better way to preserve the corpses," _let him talk. There was always a chance that The Undertaker reveals something useful_. "I know what you're going to ask – why not just use magic? Let me tell you a little secret: to use magic to preserve corpses makes them more susceptible to Necromancy."

Darlene stored that information away for later use.

"But I digress; I doubt you came here to listen to listen to my ramblings."

 _ **Quest Complete : Show Some Respect For The Dead**_

 _ **Reward -**_

 _ **\+ 500 Exp**_

 _ **\+ 150 Reputation with The Undertaker. Current Reputation – Friendly (150/1000).**_

 _ **\+ 10 Reputation with Drammarstadt. Current Reputation – Neutral (10/100)**_

 _ **The Undertaker grants you a random weapon.**_

 _ **You have reached Level 3! Stat Points to distribute - 10.**_

She already knew how to distribute the points. Two point to _**Strength**_ , three points to _**Dexterity**_ and five points to _**Endurance**_. It felt like a waste of points considering her Character Class but without access to mental magic Darlene was forced to focus on survival.

"So you want to get stronger, eh? Let me see your weapon."

The Undertaker wasn't impressed by Darlene's generic dagger.

"You call _that_ a weapon?"

She snapped, "Yeah, well, it's not like I have anything better."

The Undertaker shook his head, "I'm not talking about the quality of it. You need a weapon made to keep enemies at distance. And I have exactly what you need."

Darlene sweatdropped when she saw the supposed weapon.

 _ **Old Shovel Handle**_

 _ **Two-handed weapon.**_

 _ **Damage: 2-6.**_

 _ **Durability: 11/20.**_

 _What did you expect from The Undertaker? The Shiny Sword of Shining?_

"Now let me show you how to use it without injuring yourself."

He led Darlene out of the crypt and shoved the simple strikes, parries and crushing blows using the scarecrow as a training dummy. Then she was asked to repeat what she just saw. The Undertaker corrected her mistakes and insisted on the repetition of every move until it's done flawlessly.

 _ **You have unlocked a new Skill – Polearms (1/1000).**_

The impromptu lesson ended with a short spar. The Undertaker didn't even break a sweat despite bright sun and the black clothes.

"My _clients_ don't always behave," he said with a shrug when he noticed Darlene's silent amazement, "I have to be extra persuasive if I want to them to stay in the graves instead of wandering around the cemetery."

 **0000000**

Darlene looked inside the First Aid tent but it was empty. Only thanks to a passing nurse the girl was able to find Brianna in the potions lab.

"Back already?" the Healer was standing in the middle of the lab, stirring the bubbling concoction in the cauldron.

 _If it tastes as bad as it looks, I don't envy the poor soul forced to drink it._

"So, how did it go with The Undertaker?"

Darlene took a deep breath and then started to describe her experiences at the Old Cemetery. The Healer nodded in the appropriate places.

"Was The Undertaker always…" Darlene cast around for a word to best describe her opinion of the man, "… _strange_?"

Brianna chuckled, "Define 'strange'."

"I'm serious. Have you ever wondered what happened to him?"

"I had suspicions but nothing concrete. The Undertaker wasn't exactly forthcoming about his past. Nobody knows exactly where he lived and what he did before moving to Drammarstadt."

 _Why do I sense there is a "but" coming?_

"About thirty years ago the Baron from one of the neighboring provinces got interested in the art of Necromancy. Unfortunately, his enthusiasm exceeded his skills. One of the rituals went wrong; as a consequence all the graveyards around begin spewing the undead. The King sent a team of heroes to deal with the amateur Necromancer and his creations. They stormed the castle only to discover that the Baron is already dead," Brianna made a dramatic pause, "I've read their reports. The Baron was six feet tall but whoever killed him was much taller. He was beheaded by the horizontal slash at the throat. Finally, the forensic Healer describes the blade used for decapitation as _'sharp wide blade, possibly the custom-made leaf-bladed spear._ '"

Darlene nodded in understanding; Undertaker's sinister-looking shovel fit the description.

"The Undertaker takes his job very seriously, as you've already learned, and he'll take the dead walking around the cemetery in broad daylight as a personal affront," Brianna said with a faint smile, "The rest is still a mystery. Don't ask me how the man of his stature managed to sneak into the castle surrounded by the wandering zombies, kill the Baron and get away unnoticed."

Apparently, the town's Mages Guild still has not come to an agreement why the Undertaker stopped aging and wasn't affected by Plague like the rest of the humans. The popular theory claimed the changes within him were caused by the misfired Necromantic spell. The Head Artificer thought differently; he claimed the Undertaker's top hat is a powerful artefact. There was even a speculation that he was watched over by the Veiled Lady, the Goddess of Death.

 _ **Hidden Quest – learn the truth about the Undertaker's past.**_

 _ **Reward - unspecified.**_

Darlene perked up as soon as the Mages' Guild was mentioned.

 _This can be my chance to gain access to Psionic arts._

"If there's a Mages' Guild in Drammarstadt, why didn't the mages help to defend the city? What happened to them? Was it the Plague?"

Brianna explained that all the remaining magic users barricaded themselves inside the Town Hall. They used every ounce of their mana to keep the town's magical defences intact and block the attempts of Gnoll Shamans to send the curses through the walls.

Much to Darlene's disappointment, nobody in Drammarstadt practiced Psionicism, so it seemed she had hit another dead end.

The winged Healer noticed the Half-Alien's downcast expression. On an afterthought, she said, "There's a place you should check out. It's unlikely they'll share their little secrets with the outsiders, but if you want to get stronger you got to take some chances. I know I would."

 **0000000**

Darlene was walking through the old streets of the town, looking through the decrepit storefronts. The devastating combination of the war and the plague turned Drammarstadt into a ghost town. Most of the shops were closed and shuttered. Darlene checked a few that were still open. The prices were outrageous and there was nothing worth spending money on.

The Half-Alien had plenty of time to think over her past actions. Razorfin may be too hasty to dismiss her as a liability but he was right on money when he thought she is planning to abandon Altherra. She already clicked 'QUIT', and only the specifics of the game stopped her from erasing the character and starting anew.

Seeing the situation through the eyes of the locals, Darlene was forced to admit that her complaints were nothing more than a storm in a teacup.

 _I keep mocking the Tutorial villages. I get a real adventure instead, and look at me – whining like Bilbo Baggins who suddenly realized he forgot his handkerchiefs at home._

It took some time and effort to find the town square that fit Brianna's description. Twice Darlene had to stop and ask for directions.

Upon arrival she looked around and noticed a big colorful pavilion surrounded by the smaller tents and two rows of cages with lions and tigers.

 _Brianna sent me to the CIRCUS?_ Darlene thought in disbelief. _Does she feel I need to lighten up, or what?_

She was stopped by the memory that the tip about Old cemetery proved to be useful, so the girl decided to adopt a wait-and-see approach.

As if on cue, the high-pitched voice of a woman yelled, "Andrew, I thought you respected me!"

Darlene's curiosity forced her to take a peek inside the pavilion.

The Half-Giant with a familiar-looking red sash around his waist was slowly backing away from the female Dwarf warrior in the uniform of the Town Guard.

"Becky, I swear…"

"I'm not a fragile flower! My father was a Sergeant and he taught me everything he knew!"

It was amusing to see the walking mountain of muscle cowed by the glare of his miniature girlfriend. To be fair, Becky was tall for a female Dwarf but still barely reached Andrew's belly button, and her short sword was like a dagger in the Half-Giant's big hands.

After listening for a while, Darlene came to conclusion that their lover's spat was caused by the classic case of the overprotective boyfriend. The Half-Giant kept flattening the Gnolls who dared to come too close to his beloved. Becky saw it as an insult to her pride and the implication that she can't take care of herself.

"I hate to see you hurt…"

"And I don't want to be the laughing stock of the barracks! If you want a porcelain doll hiding behind your back while the mighty Iron Andrew is doing all the fighting, find another girl!"

 _Dammit! I'm in the middle of the besieged town and still manage to stumble upon a scene from the romantic sitcom._

Becky stomped away in a huff ignoring Iron Andrew's weak excuses. He left soon after her, looking rather dejected.

 _ **Quest – reunite the separated couple**_

 _ **Reward -**_

 _ **\+ 40 Exp**_

+ _ **20 Reputation with the Circus of Skaara**_

 _I must talk with another artist to find out how to help them. I doubt I'll learn anything useful from the depressed giant-sized Romeo._

 **0000000**

When Darlene decided to find another artist to talk to, she learned it's easier said than done. She methodically searched the tents, only to find them empty.

When she noticed that the walls of the covered wagons were plastered with posters, she decided to make a break.

 _It might be a good idea to memorize names and faces of the artists in case I run into one of them._

 _ **WILLIAM THE TRICKSHOT.**_ The tall masked bowman in green hunting hat stood in front of a shooting practice target riddled with arrow holes.

 _ **FEARLESS HARRIET.**_ The red-haired woman in revealing tight black outfit was surrounded by the white tigers.

 _ **PUG THE CLOWN**_ **.** The cheerful-looking midget with round painted face stood upside down on the back of a shaggy pony.

 _ **IRON ANDREW**_. The familiar Half-Giant was bending the beam of steel, looking much more heroic than he was with Becky.

 _ **FLYING FOXES**_. A group of acrobats formed a human pyramid on tightrope.

When Darlene moved to the next poster, she received a system message.

 _ **You have unlocked a new Skill – Observation Lvl 1 (1/1000).**_

 _ **By Observing a target one will get information about the said object.**_

Perhaps it was the new skill at work or simply luck or perhaps it was simply luck but she noticed the small black tent close to the edge of the encampment had lights on.

When the girl peeked inside she saw a tall dark-skinned bearded man reclining on the bed of nails. Darlene immediately recognized the man who saved her life with a flying kick.

The man put aside the scroll he was reading and invited her in.

"Any particular reason you decided to visit the Circus of Skaara?"

Darlene had to repeat her talk with Brianna the Healer about getting stronger.

"And she sent you here?"

"Madam Brianna doesn't explain much, just tells me where to go. So far she hadn't steered me wrong."

Singh nodded in approval, "Brianna is a wise woman. I have a question though - _why_ do you want to get stronger?"

"Gnolls will attack again, and when it happens, I don't want to be useless. I want to go down swinging."

Singh's eyes searched her face looking for deceit.

"Fair enough," he said, "If you were seeking power for the power's sake, or hoping to earn somebody's approval, you are unworthy."

Darlene asked if it means he is going to help her.

"It's against my beliefs to part with the knowledge for free. Right now I don't see what you can possibly offer to me do to earn it. I must meditate on this. Meanwhile feel free to browse around," he added, "And if you figure out why Madame Brianna thought we can help you, seek me out again."

 **0000000**

They met purely by accident.

When Darlene was ready to give up leave the circus after the fruitless search, the old Lizardman stuck his head out of the central pavilion.

"Visitorsss? We don't get many of thossse anymore," his voice was like a hiss, the yellow eyes looked at her with suspicion. "There isssn't much to look at."

Darlene remembered her new Observation skill and tried to put it to good use.

 _ **Baragon the Firetooth**_

 _ **Lizardman Rogue**_

 _ **Lvl - ?**_

 _ **LP: -?**_

She replied, "Don't sell yourself short. I think the posters I've seen are impressive."

"Interesssted in our hissstory?" Baragon put aside the mop and the bucket he was carrying. "Let me show you the oldessst posssters – free of charge."

Darlene let him lead her to the small tent elegantly adorned with colorful circles and animal inspired designs. Baragon offered her a seat and opened the iron-bound chest, carefully taking out several tubes full of rolled posters.

"Good old timesss. We had the bessst troupe in the country," he unrolled the posters one by one, showing them to the girl and telling the amusing stories about the artists.

"The Circusss of Ssskaara alwaysss attracted the bessst artistsss," Baragon said proudly, "but the lassst generation wasss ssspecial," the Lizardman carefully touched the poster of the cheerful midget, "Pug was a sssoul of our troupe. He held everybody togessser; his jokesss made you laugh and cry at the sssame time," he moved to the poster of red-haired woman, "Harriet was one of a kind; nobody underssstood animalsss better. And her husssband William could throw a bent fork and hit the bullssseye," Baragon let out a mournful hiss, "Guessss where they are now? Dead, dead and dead! The bessst and brightessst artists are ssstolen by the godforsssaken Plague!"

As if on cue, immediately after Baragon mentioned the Plague the girl saw the system message.

 _ **You have been attacked by the Magical Plague.**_

 _ **Your body fends off the plague. Resistance to Magical Diseases 11/100**_

To take his mind off the losses, Darlene asked the Lizardman why there are no posters of him.

"I wondered if you'll notice," Baragon rummaged through the chest and took out a smaller tube with a single poster inside.

 _ **BARAGON THE FIRETOOTH.**_ A much younger Lizardman was holding a flaming torch between the teeth and waving to the public.

"I juggled torchesss usssing nothing but teeth and tail," Baragon smiled wistfully and showed the yellowish broken teeth, "The public was ecssstatic. But it's all in the passst. The old artisssts mussst alwaysss know when it'sss the right time to retire and let the fresh blood take over. Abysss knowsss, I feel older than my Great Grandmother's shed ssskin."

 _Damn, I guess my distraction didn't work as well as I thought._

"Sssometimes I wonder why I bother to keep everything intact. The circusss can't sssurvive with three artisssts left. I can asss well quit," his head drooped down and his voice sank to a whisper.

Darlene could see that she overstayed her welcome. She went out of the tent, leaving the old Lizardman alone with his load of anguish.

 _These people are supposed to make me stronger? What a joke._

 **0000000**

Like all the ground-shattering events in Fielding Prep, the fallout between Tom Sloane and his best friends started with a small disagreement. They felt that Tommaso the Half-Elven Adventurer was slowing the trio down.

Adventurer was a jack of all trades, so his skills were rising painfully slow, his spells were weak, and he was getting killed easily. But Sloane's family stubbornness prevents him from seeing the sensible solution - to erase Tommaso and start with a better character.

Julian and Fred were mulling it over in the café, when they overheard the passing customer. He was loudly complaining about 'lousy bitch' forcing him to erase his Barbarian over a stupid bet.

In a light bulb moment, they came with a Plan. If Tom doesn't have enough common sense to get rid of the faulty character, it's their duty to _help_ him. Julian claimed he knew how to make sure their friend wasn't going to win the bet. Fred thought the Plan was perfect.

The next day they cornered Tom and started with a casual talk about Altherra. Julian was carefully nudging the conversation towards the last dungeon they explored and the weakness of Tom's character that resulted in the failure of the boss battle, with Fred adding some good-natured ribbing.

Looking back, Fred saw the Plan as the most idiotic thing he ever did since he asked out Meredith to get Amber jealous. There was no way Plan could work without damaging their relationship. As his Dad told him once, _"Son, if you want to tell your business partner he is a lousy golfer, you don't do it by breaking his favorite club."_

The problem with Julian was that he never knows when to stop. Usually they had Tom to play devil's advocate, but this time Tom was the target of Julian's scheme, and Pat was too laid back to protest when the stakes were upped.

" _I don't see how I can lose, but if it happens, not only I agree to erase Tommaso, I'll play for a year as a character of your choosing. In the end of the year if I manage to raise his level higher than Tommaso's, it'll be my turn to erase YOUR characters. Agreed?"_

It took Julian shaking Tom's hand to remember that the bet was rigged.

Since that fateful day, they didn't exchange a single word with one another. Fred was at loss at what to do. The monstrosity created by Julian to replace the Adventurer pretty much killed any hopes for reconciliation.

And what he could possibly say to defend himself? _"Yes, the bet was rigged because we planned the_ _character assassination_ _, but things got out of hand?"_ King Claudius had the better chance pleading his case to Hamlet.

Fred wondered if Tom gave up on Altherra completely. Trying to turn the imbalanced Kobold into something worthwhile is a wasted effort. _Tom is stubborn but not to the extent of being willfully blind._

At least that's what Fred told himself whenever he felt empty because Tom was no longer around.

* * *

 **A/N** : _I've edited the previous chapter and changed the names of Fielding characters as **Roentgen** doesn't want any of his characters being used since he's getting the story published as an original work._


End file.
